The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has traditionally served as a gathering point for the advertising industry’s top executives, agencies, and media buyers. In 2025, the event highlighted a broader industry shift—one in which digital creators, AI-powered tools, and platform-driven innovation are transforming the way brands engage with consumers.  This year’s festival highlighted the growing influence of the creator economy, the mainstreaming of artificial intelligence in advertising, and a shift from traditional performance metrics toward audience relationships and brand trust. As global ad spending exceeds $1 trillion, Cannes Lions has become a critical forum for companies recalibrating their strategies